The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1887-02-16
VOL. IL.


1T Is presumed that by this time every
farmer has maturcd his plans, and is al
ready under way in executing thcm. Ono
of the first things to claim his aitcuti0m
is the preparation of the manure to be
used. He has decided TO use composts
largely and no must now prepare thcm
the matter cannot be deferred much
longer. Whilst compost will g,Ic far
results, prepared only a month or xix
weeks in advance of its application, the
general drift of experience indicates that
better results ensuo whore they are IRE
pared three months i'll advance. Com
posts for cotton should bo lut up at
once, and caro- taken that every condition
for proper fermentation be present.
These conditions arc proper admjxture
OF ingredients, decided moisture ali
through the mass, and decided com
pactness. a loosely thrown up pile of
manure Will become too hot and be
greatly injured y proper fermentation
brings about several valuable results.
First, 1t reduces or breaks down the
coarscr ingredients, as hay, straw, leaves
~ Other hitter, and renders tIG distribu-
ton OF the compost easier aud more
uniform Uniformity of distribution is
Il matter OF first Importance. In tho
next place 1t renders inert, inSOlublc
materials active and soluble. All of the
nitrogen, for instance, of green or frrsh
manure is insoublc; il is either in the
form OF aibuminuu8 compounds or of
urea "a constituent OF urinC), end must
be changed to ammonia or nitric acid,
before plants can appropriate 1t. The
danger is that, as tins ammonia is
formed, it may be driven of l,y heat and
be lost. IhiS is to be prevented by
keeping the fermentation within prone.
bounds, as above pointed out, and hv
covering the heap with II lnytr of rich
dirt six or eight inches thicl. to catch
and absorb any escaping ammonia.
Another and very effective means oi pre-
venting loss is using kainit us one Of the
ingredients Of the compost. The prcya.
lent idea has been that land p!ustcr was
excellent for that purpose. bat plaster
only acts efficiently where thcia is water
enough to dissolve it, and ;His is not
generally the case i'll IL compost heap.
Eainit is much moro soluble than llas-
ter, and will fix ammorin under circum-
stances where plaster Will NOT kuinit
is decidedly the best cheap nnd available
substance for the purpose That we know.
1t has been Just stated that kuinit
ought to be one OF the ingredients Uf q
compost hcap--what other OF ihe chcmi-
cal or concentrated IcTtiliZors should en-
ter into it. There Io,d bn no Hesitation
i'll saying that phosphoiic acid, in some
form, should occupy a front place in this
respect. No substance is more mivcr-
sally wanting in old, long-croppcd lands
than phosphoric acid, none, tie upplica-
tlon OF which, on such lands, has given
more uniformly good results. Besides
kainit and phosphoric a?id, t!oro are no
rt ,I,l Al .lt ,,I,
generally enter into compoHis; in cx-
ceptional cases 8omo others may he
needed; that depends upon jnc nature
Of the more bulky basis Of the compost,
and to this lot us turn attention. As a
rule, bayn-yard manure IS the main
foundation Of composts. 1T consists Of
the cxcrcmcnt and urine OF horses ana
cattle mixed with variable Quantity of
litter. With the farmer 1t IS an ever
pressing inquiry how hc may increase
the quantity and improve the quality Of
this most valuable substance. AS to the
first Uhc quantity, the ready answer OF
Northern aud European writers has been
by keeping more stock, But bear III
mind, however, that this answer comes
from regions where grass and grain are
the leading crops, and where large cities
and dense population Oargcly manu-
tGcturingj create large demand for
food, including meat To n northern
or English farmer the question is. shall
hay and grain be sold direct from the
farm, or shall they be converted into
meat and milk, and cheese and butter
and these become the Objects OF sale!
lie can lind sale Tor clthcr. Win
Southern farmer the conditions are some
what different. At present the most of
his land is too poor to grow grass sue
Gessiully, and climatic conditions render
small gram crops rather uncertain. Ihc
cities about HIM are small, population Is
sparse, and a SINAI portion OF 1t engaged
IN manufactures. Would these surround
ing warrant general increase III the
number OF i've stock on thc iarm? mat
is extremely doubtful. Except III local
ities where there Is an extended range,
most FARMERS nave uhlil recent period
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